ASUS has finally lifted the lid on its new handheld gaming PC, the ROG Ally X, which will be available on July 22.
After a few weeks of teases and semi-reveals, ASUS has fully pulled back the curtain on the next iteration of its handheld gaming PC. The ASUS ROG Ally X is a refresh of the existing hardware, still built around the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor but with a range of improvements that look to address the key issues with ASUS’s first foray into the market.
Firstly, let’s discuss the elephant in the room. The Ally X will feature an 80 Wh battery, double the size of the original, while also introducing fast charge capability thanks to the introduction of a USB-C port. The biggest issue that many (if not all) Ally users have is that the device just doesn’t hold charge well enough to properly support gaming on the go, which this new iteration looks to fix. In another case of taking what came before and doubling it, the Ally X will ship with a 1 TB M.2 2280 SSD, giving you more storage to play around with. While on the topic of storage and memory, the Ally X will also boast 24 GB LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, which will apparently allow for higher-quality textures and better performance.
Looking at some finer details, the unit’s ergonomics have been altered, particularly the rounding of the edges to avoid discomfort on your palms, the joysticks have been replaced and will be more durable, the d-pad is now eight-directional, the face buttons are higher and more responsive, the slant of the triggers has been adjusted for comfort, and, most importantly, the colourway of the device has been changed from white to a far more appealing black.
Alright, let’s get to brass tax. The ASUS ROG Ally X will release on July 22 and is available for pre-order from the ASUS E-Shop and JB Hi-Fi for $1,599.
We had plenty of nice things to say about the ASUS ROG Ally in our review, but the battery life and ergonomics didn’t do it any favours. “The ASUS ROG Ally aims to fill a space that has become increasingly competitive and bolsters decent hardware to try and overcome its shortcomings. Unfortunately, the hardware isn’t enough to outshine the competition so you are left with a device that feels rather unwieldy to use and doesn’t last very long on a full charge.”
Do you have a ROG Ally? Will you be upgrading to the Ally X? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.
Adam's undying love for all things PlayStation can only be rivalled by his obsession with vacuuming. Whether it's a Dyson or a DualShock in hand you can guarantee he has a passion for it. PSN: TheVacuumVandal XBL: VacuumVandal Steam: TheVacuumVandal
